(The Delgani String Quartet | Photo by Mike Bragg)
(DanceAbility International | Photo by John Watson)
This April, the “wonderfully tuned” (Eugene Scene) and “exhilarating” (Oregon ArtsWatch) Delgani String Quartet partners with DanceAbility International and their Guggenheim Award-winning Artistic Director Alito Alessi in offering Body of Sound, a performance with purpose. The touring production features diverse and Innovative mixed-ability dance collaboratively choreographed to uplifting, live performances of beloved classical music gems performed by the region’s finest string quartet. With its range of professional performers with and without disabilities, the show will inspire audiences to reexamine beliefs, attitudes and stereotypes through a lens of positivity and possibility.
Performances are 70 minutes without intermission, and take place:
- April 3, 2020 at Kaul Auditorium, Reed College, Portland
- April 5, 2020 at Tower Theatre, Bend
- April 6, 2020 at Music Recital Hall, Southern Oregon University, Ashland
- April 7, 2020 at Soreng Theater, Hult Center, Eugene
All tickets are just $5, available at delgani.org.
Making high-quality art within the realm of mixed abilities is ground-breaking and joyful. Unique in its
authenticity and depth, this production is a model for inclusion, expanding audience perceptions and in turn strengthening communities. When this broad spectrum of artists comes together in a democratic creative process, new possibilities emerge creating transformational art that is universal in its message of optimism, open-mindedness and acceptance, ultimately sharing the truth that every body has value.
Aligned with Delgani’s reputation for “astutely curated programs” (Oregon ArtsWatch) the musical selection for Body of Sound follows a beautiful and organic arc. Lighter fare characterizes the first section, which then transitions to more profound and powerful music before giving way to Barber’s iconic Adagio, after which there is momentum to the finish. The program includes:
- Pärt, Fratres excerpt
- Mozart, Minuet from K458
- Mendelssohn, Canzonetta from op 12
- Dvořák, Lento from op 96
- Beethoven, Allegro assai vivace from op 95
- Schulhoff, Tango from Five Pieces
- Britten, Vivace from Quartet No. 2
- Barber, Adagio from Quartet
- Glass, Body Building from Quartet No. 3
- Theofanidis, I Add Brilliance to the Sun from Visions and Miracles
An audience-centered question and answer session will immediately follow each performance.